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Zestonian

Warm giant planets

Zestonian
Image from AstroChara
Two warm neptunian worlds. Skanbou, on the right, is closer in and warmer. Kellun on the left is further out and cooler.
In NoLWoCS, Zestonians (prefix: Zesto-; eg. ZestoNeptunian, ZestoJovian) are warm giant planets, with tropopause temperatures between 350 K, below which water clouds dominate and the planet becomes a Mesonian, and 800 K, above which potassium chloride clouds dissipate and the planet becomes a Pyronian. Zestonians are characterized by the lack of cloud formation and dominance of water and methane absorptions producing blue colour on cooler worlds, and the presence of clouds of potassium chloride (KCl) on hotter worlds. On Zestonians receiving sufficient high energy radiation, thick photochemical hazes form, dominating the planet's appearance. The colours of the haze vary with temperature and haze progenitors, from brownish to reddish to greenish.

Cooler regions on some Zestonians, such as polar regions on cooler worlds or nightside on tidally-locked worlds, may be capable of forming water clouds.

Zestonians are common among neptunians due to their tendency to migrate inwards, but are somewhat uncommon for jovians. Neptunians of this type or hotter begin to feature large amounts of water and other substances in the upper atmosphere, as hydrogen and water become miscible at these temperatures.

Warm giant planets

Goldilocks 70 Virginis
Image from Steve Bowers
Goldilocks, a ZestoJovian
 
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Planetology
 
Development Notes
Text by AstroChara
John M. Dollan
Initially published on 31 December 2007.

Overhauled 2025-10-14 by AstroChara
 
 
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